What does it involve?

You have decided that the Meth Watch Program could have a positive influence on your store and community, but you do not know what steps to follow. The Meth Watch Program has many options to choose from and the options chosen depend on the type of store, layout, manpower, etc. The main areas of the program include: training, signage, product management, and suspicious activity reporting.

Employee and management training
Signage (decals, stickers and shelf tags)
Tips on strategic product placement to deter theft.
Working closely with local law enforcement agencies.

Employee and Management Training

Training Poster - Meth Watch provides a training poster that when posted in the employee break room will provide repeated exposure to the types of products that commonly purchased or stolen for a meth cook.

Video Tape - Meth Watch, with the assistance of a WalMart film production crew, is in the process of producing videotape that will depict a common purchase of meth lab precursors and how a checkout clerk should handle the situation. The video will also discuss common management practices that may help deter the theft of ephedrine and pseudephedrine containing products. This video will be a useful training tool for both the store clerks and management staff that can be watched by new employees or used for annual training.

Signage - The Meth Watch program focuses on creating an awareness of why certain products, or a variety of products, are stolen or purchased in abnormally high quantities. Placement of shelf tags, stickers, decals, etc. helps store employees and the general public become more familiar with these products. Paranoid meth "cooks" will not want people watching them linger around these target products. Cash register stickers are placed at the checkout counter as a final reminder that this store is aware of the meth problem. The stickers also remind the checkout clerk to be on the lookout for suspicious purchases. The Kansas Retail Team members believe that the signage serves the dual purpose of putting criminals on notice and letting good customers know your store is taking steps to reduce the production of methamphetamine.

Product Management - Product management addresses the strategic placement of precursor products in areas that will help deter theft or suspicious purchases of large quantities. Customers will often question why the products are not as readily available, but in most cases a brief explanation of Meth Watch by handing them a brochure or info sheet will satisfy their questions and they will typically show a strong support for the program. Some strategic management practices include the following:

Limit quantity of product available on the shelf: By limiting the quantity of product on the shelf, the store may be able to reduce the amount of theft or excessive purchases. Many stores already implement this policy due to theft problems. This will cause a higher frequency of restocking, but typically reduce the large quantity theft.

Limit quantity of product that may be purchased: Limiting the purchase quantity means that a customer will only be able to purchase a certain amount of the product at the checkout counter. The quantity can vary depending on store policy, but 3 - 5 packages is common. A disadvantage is that stores implementing this policy typically need computerized cash register systems that track the quantity of purchase. A computerized system is not necessary if the store is comfortable with relying on their employees to enforce the policy.

Placement of product near high traffic areas: Placing product at the end of an aisle near the checkout counters, customer service, or a pharmacy helps deter the theft of the product. Thieves do not like to be observed stealing product so they will be more likely to stay away from the high profile areas.

Providing surveillance on the product aisle: Providing video surveillance on the product and informing the customer that the aisle is under surveillance is similar to the high traffic areas because the thief does not want to get caught stealing the product. Surveillance equipment can get expensive, therefore, theft is typically the main reason for a system installation.

Placement of product behind a service counter: When product is behind the counter in a pharmacy, customer service area or cash register, the customer must ask for the product. Typically, a shelf tag is left on the main shelf area and includes the product name, price and directs the customer to the service counter. A few stores are even requiring the customer to sign their name or show an ID to receive the product, however Meth Watch does not require customer identification for purchase. Once again, customer inconvenience can be an issue, but most customers understand why the store has implemented the policy.

Reporting Suspicious Transactions - Meth "cooks" can be dangerous when they come to a retail facility for more ingredients. Paranoia and aggressiveness caused by a drug induced high can cause a the "cook" to become angry if confronted about a theft or improper purchase. Rowan Business Alliance and law enforcement officials recommend that employees do not confront the suspect, but instead follow through with the transaction rather than putting themselves in danger. When the suspect leaves the store, the clerk or manager should complete a suspicious transaction report and provide the information to the local law enforcement as soon as possible. The form should contain as much information as possible. If surveillance is available please note the date and time on the report.

See an example of the program Rowan County Meth Watch is
based from -- Kansas City Meth Watch.